Doctors back power plant funding snub

Tue Jul 31 10:50:37 EST 2012

An organisation of medical doctors has applauded the Federal Government's decision not to fund a dual gas power generator at Morwell.

Doctors for the Environment Australia challenged the project in a Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal hearing last year, citing concerns that the toxins released by the plant would make local residents sick.

The Victorian chairman of Doctors for the Environment Australia, Dr Eugenie Kayak, says many people are unaware of the health impacts of brown coal combustion.

"Doctors for the Environment Australia strongly believes that 2012 is not the time to be promoting or funding new coal-fired power stations and we were in fact at the Victorian Civic and Administrative Tribunal at the end of last year and this year opposing this HRL dual gas plant because we were concerned about the global and local health effects," he said.